July 13, 2018 - Issue #11
Last day! Deputies pressing ahead; Bishops speeding through
Follow: #gc79
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Photo: Closing Eucharist July 12, with the Presiding Bishop celebrating. (Photo Alli Huggins)
Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows of Indianapolis preached (Photo by ENS)
"We have been living a liturgy these past 10 days," she said of their time at GC79. "Are we ready to go do this? ... What happened in Austin better not stay in Austin!" She talked about practicing the way of love in Jesus, and normalizing love not in spite of, but because of, difference.
Link here for a press release that has info on preachers, celebrants, and service notes for Convention worship. When you decide which you want to watch, hop on over to the
Media Hub to play it on-demand. Photo A. Huggins)
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Deputy the Rev. Carlos de la Torre does press briefing and podcast
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Photo: Press briefing 6:45 p.m. on July 11, the day that the HOD concurred with the HOD to welcome the Episcopal Church in Cuba back into The Episcopal Church. Second from left is the Rev. Carlos de la Torre, Deputy from ECCT, Southwest Region Missionary, and Director of
Saint Hilda's House in New Haven. Carlos was in Cuba last summer as group leader for youth from
Saint Luke's, Darien who were participating in a summer camp in Cuba. He's going back again this summer, as well, with youth from that parish and beyond.
Carlos was also a guest on the eighth nightly #GC79 podcast, hosted by Miguel Escobar, director of Anglican Studies as
EDS@Union.
Link here to the podcast page or
here to directly to listen to the podcast on Soundcloud.
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Deputies get tired (and act silly)
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On the big screen yesterday morning in the HOD. At that point in GC, the deputies had been working very hard, saw the end, realized there's so much more to go, and found ways to release some anxiety with laughter. Photo thx to Janet Kawamoto of LA. The graphic is from HOD parliamentarian Bryan Krislock.
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A lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek presentation, full of bird puns, given by members of the Diocese of Northern Indiana to the HOD. There are at least two actual birds in the HOD that walk the floors and perch in rafters. Photo: Livestream screen grab.
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ECCT deputies take a break: From left, the Rev. Linda Spiers; the Rev. Sandra Cosman; Shirley Wick. Photo thx to Don Burr.
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Not only do the stanchions identify your diocese, they also get decorated with swag and (for fun) the PHoD holds a contest for the best of these. The winner at GC79 was Rio Grande. Photo thx to Shirley Wick.
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How to cut off debate (and be fair)
XII (4) (iii) (aka: 12.4.3) comes in handy in the HOD
Photo: PR photo of the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings, President of the House of Deputies (PHoD), who was re-elected at GC79 to another term.
Deputies can be passionate about resolutions and the topics they address. Many want their full two minutes to speak at a microphone and address the House. There has been more than one joke about how long things are taking in the HOD, while the HOB sails through and ends sessions early. (Admittedly, the bishops know each other much better, so trust each other a bit more, and there are fewer of them.)
There's a
HOD rule of order that allows the PHoD to curtail debate when it's one-sided. It's HOD Rule of Order XII (4) (iii). During the time allotted for debate after a resolution has been presented: "If at least three Deputies have spoken in favor of the matter and no one rises to speak against it; or at least three Deputies have spoken against the matter and no one rises to speak in favor of it," the PHoD may declare that debate has ended. And over the past two weeks the HOD has become mighty familiar with 12.4.3.
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Photos: Austin Convention Center
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[ECCT's own Rose Eagan, who uses a wheelchair, advocated for at least one accessible microphone station in the HOD years ago when she served as a deputy. The others in the HOD require a step up.
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[There is free wi-fi throughout the entire Convention Center here. And there are devices such as these on the floor, and others in the rafters, to boost the signal.]
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[Sign in Spanish and English on multiple doors at the Convention Center forbidding entry by people carrying concealed handguns.]
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Leadership impairment resolutions pass, take effect Jan. 1, 2019
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By Sharon Tillman
[Episcopal News Service – Austin, Texas] The 79th General Convention passed three resolutions brought to convention by the Commission on Impairment and Leadership, which refers to intervention, evaluation and possible re-entry or action needed related to various forms of leadership impairment.
The three resolutions,
D057,
D058 and
D059, speak to issues surrounding leadership impairment due to alcohol and substance misuse and behavioral addictions.
The resolutions will take effect Jan. 1, 2019, in the new budget year.
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$134 MM budget passes, B007 passes, other divestment/investment resolutions mixed results
Both Houses passed the proposed $134 million
budget for the next triennium.
Read this ENS article about B007, which urged shareholder engagement investing in gun manufacturers.
B007 passed both Houses.
Both Houses also passed
A061 to create a Task Force on the Theology of Money.
Resolution
A020 is on the HOB consent calendar for 7/13 with a recommendation to concur with the substitute
Resolution
D068, concurred by both Houses, asks a subcommittee of the Executive Council to develop criteria to establish a No Buy list, and procedures to follow.
Read about the other resolutions considered by the legislative committee on stewardship and responsible investing
here, and check out the status of each.
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HOD and HOB agree to expansive language versions of Rite II Eucharist prayers
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By Mary Frances Schjonberg and Melodie Woerman:
[Episcopal News Service] Both houses of General Convention on July 12 adopted a resolution that allows all congregations in the Episcopal Church to use optional, expansive-language versions of three Rite II Eucharistic prayers in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer.
Resolution
D078 provides alternative language for Prayer A, Prayer B and Prayer D. The changes are available for trial use until the completion of the next comprehensive revision of the Book of Common Prayer.
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Israel-Palestine Divides the Houses
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By Matthew Townsend and Kirk Petersen
[Living Church] By the penultimate day of its deliberations, the 79th General Convention had settled several of the hot button issues anticipated in Austin — churchwide same-sex marriage, a salary for the president of the House of Deputies, and liturgical revision, to name a few. One topic, however, continues to elicit considerable debate: the church’s role in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Between July 9 and July 12, eight resolutions on the matter have collectively consumed nearly three hours of legislative time.
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General Convention unites behind immigrants in prayer, action, legislation
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[The HOD overwhelmingly passed the three main resolutions related to immigration, as the HOB had done earlier at GC79:
C033,
A178, and
C009.]
By David Paulsen
[Episcopal News Service] If there was one issue that defied any expectation of controversy at the 79th General Convention, it was immigration.
...But if the country remains divided over what to do about immigration, the thousands of Episcopalians gathered here presented a unified front in support of families who have been separated, of those facing deportation and of immigrants in general – through prayer, testimony, action and the unobstructed passage of legislation.
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Final Day Today
Friday, July 13
8 am - 1 pm
2:30 - 6:30 pm
6:30 pm adjournment
GC80: 2021 in Baltimore MD
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RESOLUTIONS FROM ECCT'S ANNUAL CONVENTION
C028, Amend Canon 11.4. Add a section to allow congregations use of authorized Anglican books of worship, with the bishop diocesan's permission. Complete. Refer to an interim body.
C029, Clergy Compensation by Race - Complete. Concurred.
C030, Proposed Baptismal Language, Authorize trial addition of a question to the Baptismal Covenant, related to care for God's creation
On HOD consent for 7/13, to refer to an interim body.
C031, Minimize Gendered Language (in any Prayer Book revisions). On HOD consent for 7/13, to refer to take no further action.
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RESOLUTIONS FROM BISHOP IAN T. DOUGLAS
B008, Stewardship in Communities of Color. Complete. Concurred
B009, Civil Discourse. Complete. Concurred
B010, Concerning the Service of the Church. Completed. Referred to SCLM
RESOLUTIONS FROM THE REV. DR. MOLLY F. JAMES
D033, Amend Canons IV.2 and IV.6 - Churchwide Intake Officer - On July 13 HOB consent calendar to concur to refer to an interim body.
D034, Amend Canon IV.19.4, Suspending Statute of Limitations - "Pending"
D035, Amend Canon III.9 regarding Reconciliation and Mediation Between Clergy - Complete. Rejected
RESOLUTIONS FROM PROVINCE ONE
C037, Call to Respond to Opioid Epidemic - On the HOD consent calendar for 7/13
C038, Safeguard the Rights of Palestinian Children – Complete.Take no further action.
C039, Amend Parochial Report – Complete. Take no further action
RESOLUTIONS RE: SAFE CHURCH TRAINING (ECCT's Canon for Mission Integrity & Training Robin Hammeal-Urban chaired the Task Force to Update Sexual Misconduct Policies.
A048: Establish Committee to Oversee Creation of Training Materials: Establish a committee to oversee the development of training material. Revised A048 has elements of A049 (host model policies on DFMS website) and A050 (addresses funding) included. Completed. Concurred.
A051: Modify Parochial Report: This would add information on the status of parish safe church self-audits on diocesan parochial reports, as a basis for tracking accountability. Completed. Concurred.
OTHER RESOLUTIONS
B007, Ethical Investing in Gun Manufacturers, submitted by Bp Doug Fisher of Western Mass on behalf of BUAGV. Complete. Concurred.
B005, Gun Violence as a Public Health Issue - Complete. Concurred
A017, Creation Liturgies. HOD consent calendar for 7/13 to refer to an interim body.
A010, Planting of Paris Groves, very amended from original - Complete. Concurred
D019, Ending Church complicity in the Occupation. Complete. Not concurred.
A041, Episcopal Church-United Methodist Dialogue - Complete. Concurred.
A144, Diocesan Missional Review (conduct prior to starting search process for bishop diocesan or coadjutor; proposed by task force chaired by Bishop Douglas) - Complete. Concurred.
C034, Ministry to people with mental illness and their families - Complete. Concurred
D011, Doctrine of Discovery Training (required of those in ordination process) - Complete. Concurred
D029, Condemning Prolonged Solitary Confinement as a Form of Torture - Complete. Concurred
There are numerous resolutions of courtesy and thanks in both Houses scheduled for 7/13.
Among others on HOD legislative calendar for July 13:
A218, Book of Occasional Services, Recommend concur with amended
A044 Establishing anti-racism/racial reconciliation certification framework. Recommending concur with adopt substitute
B004, Encouraging the language of dismantling racism and racial healing, justice and reconciliation. Recommending concur with adopt substitute
Among others on the HOD consent calendar for July 13:
B012 Marriage Rites for the Whole Church, recommend consent with HOB amended resolution
Among others on the HOD consent calendar for July 13 (no legislative calendar published):
A020 Fossil Fuel Divestment, recommend concur with HOD substitute
Use the Virtual Binder to search out resolution by number, proposer, topic, or assigned legislative committee. Use the gear image in the top right to switch between Houses, and languages, to check out the status of legislation for each House (calendars, journals, etc.)
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Media Hub (link on the image at left)
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Livestream and on demand:
- Worship (including 7/4 Listening Session)
- HOB and HOD sessions
- TEConversations
- Daily newscasts (4:30 English, 6:30 Spanish, Central Time)
Links to:
- Episcopal News Service (ENS) articles
- Calendars/Schedules
- Legislation (Virtual Binder)
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Resolution info
- "Virtual Binder" - all resolutions to date (gear image at top right allows you to switch between Houses and between Spanish and English.) See the infographic for help deciphering the terminology.
- "Blue Book" - reports from all the official committees, commissions, and task forces that have worked since the last General Convention in 2015, with all of their proposed resolutions ("A" resolutions)
- ECCT's graphic depiction of how a resolution moves through General Convention. Key steps, terminology, in the process.
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Link to glossary & terminology:
Here
or click on image. Let me know of others to add.
Contact Karin Hamilton by
email
or cell, 860-608-6969
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Karin Hamilton | Canon for Mission Communication & Media | khamlton@episcopalct.org | 860-608-6969
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